John Lydon to run for MP in forthcoming by-election

John Lydon, formerly Johnny Rotten, lead singer with punk rock group The Sex Pistols, who recently appeared on Question Time, is to stand as a candidate for the forthcoming Bromley by-election.

Following BBC reports of a sharp increase in viewing figures following his appearance on the political programme, Lydon announced he is to stand as an independent candidate for the newly-formed I Am An Anti Christ party.

Lydon will stand on an anarchy ticket and seek, if elected, to abolish MPs, the government, the monarchy, the army, the Campaign for Real Ale and Morris dancing. He will however continue to actively promote Country Life butter and introduce compulsory purchase orders for Public Image Ltd live gigs.

The move follows a recent increase in political activity from a host of former punk rockers.

Next week’s edition of the Andrew Marr show will feature Jimmy Pursey, lead vocalist with punk band Sham 69, discussing with German chancellor Angela Merkel how his band’s songs Gonna Be A Borstal Break Out and Hersham Boys helped hasten the decline of the Euro currency.

Additionally, on Thursday’s BBC2 Newsnight, Jeremy Paxman will interview Mick Jones of The Clash, discussing how the group’s White Man in Hammersmith Palais and White Riot tunes predicted the current banking crisis.

The Prime Minister David Cameron has applauded this flurry of political engagement from a sector of society who formerly shunned established political structure. Cameron has promised to discover more about the punk ethos and will listen to the Pistols' Never Mind The Bollocks CD over the weekend.